Fuel supply and indicating system



Sept. 5, 1933. 1 A DlENNER 1,925,955

FUEL SUPPLY AND INDICATING SYSTEI! Filed May l2, 1924 diff/ iff PatentedSept. 5, 1933 y 1,925,955 FUEL SUPPLY AND INDICATING SYSTEM John A.Diennc'r, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Bendix Stromberg CarbureterCompany,

Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 12, 1924.Serial No.V 712,512

- 13 Claims.

My invention relates to a Vfuel supply and indicating'system forinternal combustion engines, and more particularly for supplyinggasoline from an automobile tank at the rear of the vehicle to f thecarbureter at the higher level and for indicating the level of liquid inthe tank.

Primarily, the system provides simple, rotary suction means operatingfrom the engine to draw fuel from the low level liquid fuel supply tank.

In addition, the system provides a dash indication of the contents ofthe main tank through a pneumatic connection employing a body oi airwhich is maintained at suitable subatmospheric pressure.

My inventionv provides, further, a simplied vacuum tank and suctionproducing means therefor for use in a system of this character.

In order to acquaint those skiiled in the art with the manner ofconstructing and operating my invention, I shall now describe ar specicembodiment of the same in connection withthe accompanying drawing.

In the drawing;A

Fig. 1 is an elevational View partly in section of a system embodying myinvention; and

Fig. 2'is a vertical sectional view of a modiiied form of liquidwithdrawing and indicating means;

Asshown in Fig. 1, a main gasoline tank 1 contains liquid fuel 2 whichis withdrawn therefromby means oi the vacuum tank 3 and delivered to thecarbureter 4. A rotary pump 5 of special construction provides thesuction for the vacuum tank 3.

The tank 1 has the liquid withdrawal pipe 6 connected thereto, with pipe6 terminating in a chamber or manifold 7 which connects through arestricted opening 8 with the liquid 2 in the tank 1' and communicatesby way of a pipe 9 oi restricted `cross section with the air trap 10 ofthe indicating system. The indicating system comprisesy the manometer 11or other indicator graduated in terms of liquid level in the tank 1 anda small bore pipe or tube connection 12 to said air trap4 10. The airtrap 10, in addition to being connected to the pipe 9, as shown, alsohas a depending leg or pipe connection 13, which should be of relativelyample diameter, leading down vto the full depth of liquid to be measuredinthe tank 2. In the presentcase, the manometer 1.1 comprises a U-tub'ehavig a large diameter leg 14 and a small diameter or` indicating leg15. Both legs. are adapted to contain a suitable indicating liquidwhichstands normally at equal 55 levels in each of the legs 1.4 and 15.The leg 14 is shown asenlarged at itsV upper end ior the rea- (Cl.'I3-54) son that the pipe 12-and the air trap 10 are put under`subatmospheric pressure which corresponds to theA head of liquid in thepipe 13 orr 9 aboverthe level of the liquid 2 inthe tank 1; 1f thissuction should become too great, the indicating liquid may all be drawnout of the leg y15 over into the leg 14 and rair` drawn through saidindicating leg and through a part of the storage leg 14 toY clear'outany air in the system. The parts may be so designed that upon eachoperation of the vacuum tank 3 sufficient suction will be put upon theair trap 10 to cause lowering of the liquid in the indicating leg downto the bottom of the turn to cause air to be drawn over into theindicating system. The indicating leg 15 is provided with a liquid trap16 at the upper end thereof, so that in case of any accidentalpressurebeing placed upon the tank 1,

such as might be caused by careless filling of said tank 1, the liquidwill not be expelled from the indicator. A suitable scale 17 is providedfor readinglthe indication on the leg 15. It willibe noted that whenthetank 1 is full thek liquid in the leg 15 will stand at the top of the'scale indicated as full,` and when the tank 1 is substantially'emptythe level oiliquid in the indicating leg will go down to the pointmarked empty.

The manometer which 1 have shown is particularly useful in permittingthe discharge of air through the system foreach operation of the tank.3.

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated a modication in which the pipe 9, insteadof being extended externally into the bottom of the air trap 10, isextended into the air trap at the proper level by passing through theenlarged indicating tube 13', which is `made suiciently large to'includethe tube 9 and permit the drawing of liquid up through said'pipe 13 anddown through said pipe 9 when the suction tank draws on the pipe 6.

If desiredx the pipe 13 maybe a continuation of the air trap 10 of thesame diameter or other diameter.

It will be noted that in Fig. l the pipe 9 extends downward below thetop of said box or chamber '7, preferably to avoid the reintroduction ofair into the system through said pipe 9 in case bubbles of air arecarried back by the liquid kdropping back through the pipe 6 from thetank 3. At the same time, the inlet opening is formed of a short lengthof pipe which extends past the lower end oi the pipe 9, so that any airor vapor which may be drawn through said opening 8 will tend to pass upthe pipe 6 and not up the Pipe 9' Y The pump 5 provides a novelstructure, which consists of a pair of gears and 56 closely meshing andbeing mounted in a chamber which fits the ends and the lower sides ofthe gears 55 and 56, said gears meshing together at the center. Thelower part of the chamber has an inlet or suction passageway 5'7 which Ais` connected througha U-shapedtube 58 forming a part of the suctionconnection 29. The chamber v60 is adapted to contain a body oflubricating oil 61A and, at its upper end, the chamber communicates byway of a passageway 62 preferably with atmos- A rphere, a suitabledustcap 63 being placed over the opening 62 to prevent the entry ofpforeignmatter into said body of oil 61. Avdraining plug 63 is provided at anysuitable point. The body of oil 61 tends to fill apart of said U-pipe 58and be therein trapped. This pump 5 isv preferably placed near theengine shaft or cam' shaft of the engine and may berun directly fromsaid cam shaft atone end of the frame. If desired, it may be put uponone end ofthe common pump,

generator anddistributor shaft which'is in com` i mon use in modern,automobile engines. The

operation of this .particular unit is highly advantageous in anautomobile` in that the pump 5 maybe placed at arelatively low point andrun directly-by the engine, the gears 55 and 56 meshing and being driven.in the directionA of the arrows so" as to withdraw first the 'liquid`from the trap formed in said pipe 58 Aand then tol draw air and.dischargethe samefup through the body of `oil 6l, as indicated by the.bubbles 64:.V

- 'Ihiskrotary pump is highly desirable in that it affords littlefrictionand isinherently lubricated by the lbody of oil 61 and it alwaysremains sufficiently tight because the vparts .work under oil andare, infact, sealed 4by the oil. Iwish,

" furthermore, to point,v to anv important advantage in this connection;that fis, that if, by any mischance, liquid should bedrawn voverintosaid rotary pump 5, it will do nof'damag'e whatsoever other than `tocausefrunning over-.through the passageway 62, and this may be providedto drain upon the-ground below -uthe enginelIt is' well f rotary. pumpvthere areno valves, and hence, no

matter how fast'the wheels 55 and 56 are operated, there willbenofailure to draw air and no leakage of any valves.- Furthermore, theplacing Y of this rotary element in the U-shaped pipe 58 traps theliquid A61` so that it never runsY out of the system. YIt will beunderstood that this rotary pump`5 is preferablyplaced below the levelof the tank 3,'although, because of limitations, it has e not been so,shownA upon the diagram.

The gears 5 5 and 56 are preferably herringbone gears. f l I donotintend to be limited to the details lshownor described.

-Iclaim Y 1. In a system of the class described, a tank for liquid, V anindicating `system comprising ja chamber Y communicating with. theliquidat Vsubstantiallythe full. .depthto be measured and a fluidpressure actuated indicating device graduated in terms of the level oflthe liquid in said tank connected to said chamber, and a U-shapedpassageway having one leg communicating with the interior of saidchamber and forming a passage through which air may be withdrawn fromsaid chamber, the lower part of said U-shaped passageway extending belowthe level of liquid in said tank, and said means connected with saidU-shaped passage andy operable through said passage for withdrawingair'from said chamber. 2. In `a system of the class described, a tankfor liquid, a chamber communicating with the liquid in the lower part ofthe tank, a pressure lactuatedjlevel indicator, means connecting saidindicator with said chamber, and liquid sealed means extending into theliquid in the tank, and forming a passage through which air may beWithdrawn from said chamber, said means communicating with said chamberat a point lying v at a level substantially equal to the high level ofthe liquid in the tank, Vand means connected with said liquid sealedmeans and operable through said .passage for withdrawing air from saidchamber.

3. An indicating system comprising a Iiuid pressure actuated indicator,a tank for liquid, a conduit extending from the indicator to the lowerpart of the tank, and a suctiontube partcommunieating with the liquid inthe tank and extending from below the liquid in the tank vto a point inthe conduit corresponding substantially with high level of liquid in thetank.

Y4Min combination, a tank for liquid, a liquid level indicator, asuction tube part extending therefrom to the lower part of the tank, andmeans to maintain a column of liquid in said suction tube when the`withdrawing means is operative and comprising a liquid withdrawingconduit extending to substantially the bottom of the tank, and aconnection between the lower foo portion ofsaid conduit 'and the suctiontube at a point above the level of liquid in the tank.

5. In combination, a tank for liquid, a level indicating systemcomprisinga conduit extending into the liquid in the tank tosubstantially the bottom thereof and opening at its lower end into thesaid liquid, said conduit having a pneumatic'ally7 actuated indicator atthe other end and a vacuum feeding system associated with said rconduitintermediate its ends for drawingair and liquidvfrom said conduit, saidfeeding system comprising a pipe disposed inside the lower end of saidconduit and opening into the same at substantially high level of liquidin the tank.

6. In combination, in a fuel supply and indicating system for internalcombustion engines,

a low level liquid fuel supply tank open at the top, a pipe ofrelatively large size extending to and freely opening into the lowerpart of the tank, the pipe lterminating at its upper end in a.gaschamber, a iuid pressure actuated indicator, a tube connecting saidgas chamber with with said indicator, an automatically operating high'level suction device for drawing fuel by suction from the tank inaccordance with 4the reo ies

and freely opening into the lower part of the tank, the pipe terminatingat its upper end in a gas chamber, a fluid pressure actuated indicator,a tube connecting said gas chamber with said indicator, an automaticallyoperating high level suction device for drawing fuel by suction from thetank in accordance with the demands of the engine, a tube leading fromsaid suction device to the bottom of the tank for drawing liquid from'the tank, and a branch connection of relatively small size as comparedwith said pipe leading into said chamber, and means for maintaining aseal upon said branch connection for preventing the entry of air intothe chamber.

8. In combination, a tank for liquid, a pneumatic indicating systemcomprising an indica-A tor and a suction tube connected to the indicatorand communicating with the liquid at subtantially the full depth to bemeasured, means for withdrawing liquid from the tank comprising aconduit extending to the lower part of the tank and communicating withthe liquid therein, and a branch conduit connected to said withdrawingconduit at the lower part of the tank and extending to a point in thesuction tube at substantially high level in the tank.

9. In combination, in a fuel supply and indicating system for aninternal combustion engine, a liquid fuel supply tank, a gas chamberhaving a passageway extending to the lower portion of the tank, a fluidpressure actuated indicator, a tube connecting the said indicator withsaid chamber, automatic fuel withdrawing means for withdrawing fuel fromsaid tank for the demand of said engine, a tube leading from said fuelwithdrawing means to the bottom of the tank and a relatively small tubehaving one end opening into said chamber and the other end extendinginto said fuel withdrawing tube below the liquid level in the tank.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with atank for liquids, of a tube having its upper end above the tank and itslower end opening into the tank adjacent the bottom thereof, a suctionpipe communicating with said tube at a point above the top of the tankand having a depending bend extending below the lower end of said tubewhereby to form a liquid seal, a suction device connected to the otherend of said suction pipe, a pressure responsive gauge, a gauge pipeleading from the upper end of said tube to said gauge.

l1. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank for liquid, atube having a closed upper end located above the maximum liquid level insaid tank and extending downwardly into said tank and communicatingtherewith at a minimum measurable liquid level therein, a suction pipecommunicating at the upper portion of said tube at a point above themaximum liquid level in said tank and including a depending bendextending below said minimum liquid level to form a liquid seal, meansconnected to the other end of said suction pipe to intermittentlyproduce suction therein and adapted to raise the liquid from said tankinto said tube and pipe whereby to establish a constant liquid level insaid tube at the intake end of said suction pipe, a pressure responsivegauge, and a gauge pipe leading from said gauge and communicating withsaid tube at a point above the communication of said suction pipetherewith, whereby said depending bend will operate to maintain saidconstant liquid level during intervals between the intermittent suctioneffects.

12. In combination in a fuel supply and indicating system for aninternal combustion engine having a suction-operated fuel supply device,a main liquid supply tank, a tube having its closed upper end extendingabove the maximum liquid level in said main tank and communicating atits lower end with said main tank near the bottom thereof, a suctionpipe for connecting said suction-operated fuel supply device with saidtube adjacent the top thereof whereby the liquid fuel may be sucked fromthe main tank through said tube and pipe to supply said engine andincluding a depending bend extending below the open lower end of saidtube, a pressure responsive gauge, and a gauge pipe for establishingcommunication between said gauge and said tube at a point above thesuction pipe connection therewith.

13; In a device for indicating the levels of a liquid in a tank, acasing, a riser tube connected to said casing, opening into the lowerpart thereof, and depending therefrom, a gauge tube connected to saidcasing, opening into the upper part thereof, and extending upwardly adistance such that the distance between the lower end of the riser tubeand the upper end of the gauge tube will exceed the maximum differencein liquid levels to be indicated, and a suction tube connected to saidcasing, opening therein at a level below the opening of the gauge tubeinto said casing, extending to a level below the opening in the lowerend of said riser tube, then upwardly for a distance exceeding the saidmaximum difference in levels to be indicated.

JOHN A. DIENNER.

CERTEFICATE GF GRCTN.

Patem No. LQZPS September 5, 1933.

JOHN A. EENNER..

it is hereby certified that errer appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent equiring correctioe as feiiws: in thegrant, line 2, name of assignee, for "Bendix Stromberg Cempaiiy" reedBendix Stromberg Gar bureter Company; page S, iine 81, claim i, strikeeut ihe word "said" second occurrence; and iia the said Letters Paensheui be remi with these corrections iierein that the same may confermto the record of he case in the Patent ffice.

Signed and sealed ibis 21st dayef November, A. D. i933.

F. M. Hopkins (Seal) Asi-ing Cemmissioner of Patente.

